The present invention relates to a printing format input method which is intended for inputting a printing format of a standard preformed paper, such as a paper for a slip print with frames preprinted on such paper.
Heretofore various printing-format input devices of the type shown in FIGS. 1-3 have been proposed for the above-mentioned printers. Among the above drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a known printing-format input device for a printer.
In this drawing, reference numeral 101 designates a serial printer which is connected to a host computer 102 via an interface cable 103. From host computer 102, the data is printed onto a standard preformed paper 105 which is guided by a guide 104.
The standard preformed paper may comprise one with preprinted frames, e.g., a slip-print paper.
Serial printer 101 in turn is connected to a format input keyboard 106 which is used for entering into the printer a printing format which is required for the standard preformed paper.
FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of the above-mentioned format input keyboard.
In the drawings, reference numeral 106 designates a format input keyboard. The upper part of the keyboard 106 contains a format input initiation switch 107, a paper set switch 108, a printing position setting switch 109, and a format input completion switch 110. The switches are arranged in a line with an equal pitch from each other. The lower portion of format input keyboard 106 contains switches which determine the direction of feed of paper and of the carriage, i.e., a paper forward feed switch 111, a paper reverse feed switch 112, a carriage leftward direction feed switch 113, and a carriage rightward direction feed switch 114.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mechanism of the above-mentioned serial printer.
In this drawing, reference numeral 115 designates a platen which is fed from a paper-feed motor 116, so that standard preformed paper 105 can be fed in a forward or reverse direction. Installed parallel to the platen is a carriage shaft 117 which guides a carriage 118. The latter is moved along carriage shaft 117 from a carriage feed motor 119 through a carriage drive belt 120. Carriage 118 supports a printing head 121 and a ribbon protector 122.
The device described above operates in the following manner:
When a format input initiation switch 107 on the format input keyboard 106 is depressed, serial printer 101 detects the depressed position of the above-mentioned format input initiation switch 107, and is set to a printing format input mode.
When under this condition, the paper guide 104 of the printer 101 is shifted to a predetermined position, the paper is fed along the guide 104 from the rear side of platen 115, and the paper set switch 108 is depressed, the platen 115 begins to rotate, being driven by paper feed motor 116, and standard preformed paper 105 begins to move in a direction perpendicular to carriage shaft 117. At the same time, carriage 118 is fed in a horizontal direction along shaft 117 from carriage feed motor 119 via carriage drive belt 120. Paper feed motor 116 and carriage feed motor 119 stop when a predetermined, printing initiation possibility position 123 on the paper, coincides with a printing initiation position setting mark 124, which is disposed on the ribbon protector 122 on carriage 118.
When forward direction paper feed switch 111 is depressed, the standard preformed paper 105 begins to be driven by paper feed motor 116 in the forward direction with regard to the position shown in FIG. 3, while with the depression of the reverse paper feed switch 112, the paper begins to move in the reverse direction.
With the depression of the carriage rightward direction feed switch 114, carriage 118 will be driven by carriage feed motor 119 to the right with regard to the position shown in FIG. 3, while with the depression of the carriage leftward direction feed switch 113, the carriage will move to the left.
By operation of the above-mentioned feed switches 111-114, it is possible to align the printing initiation position within a printing border (or frames) which have been preprinted or applied onto the paper, using the printing initiation position setting mark 124 on the ribbon protector 122. When printing position set switch 109 is depressed under this condition, a horizontal distance Xn and vertical distance Yn from the printing initiation possibility position 123 to the printing initiation position, will be put into the memory of the printer, and in this manner the printing initiation position is set.
When such setting of printing initiation positions is repeated a required number of times, and finally format input completion switch 110 is depressed, the standard preformed paper is discharged from printer 101, and input of the format is completed.
After inputting the format, printing of the printing data, which has been transmitted from host computer 102 via interface cable 103, is made at the printing initiation positions, in sequence starting with the minimum value of vertical distance Y.sub.n ' and with the minimum value of horizontal distance X.sub.n. Each time when a new LF code (OA[hexadecimal notation]) shown in FIG. 4A is received, transition is made to the next printing initiation position to perform format printing, and a printing result shown in FIG. 4B is obtained.
Because the construction described contemplates setting of the printing initiation position by moving a printing initiation position setting mark on a carriage of a serial printer, such a construction is applicable only for serial printers. In addition, an actual displacement of the paper will differ from the value of the feed because of mechanical play in the mechanisms of the printer. Therefore, the printer is subject to deviation from the set format.